Exemplary embodiments in accordance with principles of inventive concepts relate to an output buffer, and more particularly, to an output buffer having a wide operation range, an operating method thereof, and devices including the same.
With the development of complementary metal oxide semiconductor (CMOS) processes, the internal supply voltage of integrated circuits (ICs) have been decreased in order to reduce power consumption of the ICs. However, supply voltages for input/output buffers that handle data communication, or interfacing, carried out between ICs in a printed circuit board (PCB)-based system, have not been reduced and, as a result, input/output buffer power consumption remains relatively high.
Additionally, if input/output buffer supply voltages are different in different ICs, the ICs may be damaged or may malfunction. For example, a leakage current path may be formed among the input/output buffers, which may damage or destroy the input/output buffers.
Additionally, if a voltage difference greater than a rated voltage is applied across an input/output buffer transistor's drain and gate, gate and source, or drain and source, a gate oxide layer of the buffer transistor may be destroyed, or the transistor may be damaged due to hot carrier injection (HCI).